Artest done for year
- Thread starter DaytonFamily
- Start date
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1928540
It appears the Indiana Pacers will pay a heavy price for Friday's embarrassing melee.
Ron Artest has been suspended for the season, while teammates Stephen Jackson received a 30-game suspension, and Jermaine O'Neal, a 25-game suspension, ESPN.com's Marc Stein and Insider Chad Ford have learned.
"The penalties issued today deal only with one aspect of this incident -- that of player misconduct. The actions of the players involved wildly exceeded the professionalism and self control that should rarely be accepted from NBA players," commissioner David Stern said in a statement Sunday.
The Detroit Pistons will be without Ben Wallace for six games.
Indiana's Anthony Johnson also received a five-game suspension.
Eldon Campbell, Chauncey Billups and Derrick Coleman, as the Pacers' Reggie Miller each received 1-game suspensions and $35,000 fines for leaving the bench following the initial altercation between Wallace and Artest.
"We must ... not allow our sport to be debased by what seems to be declining expectations for behavior by fans and athletes alike," Stern said in the statement.
Artest, O'Neal and Jackson -- who all threw punches at spectators in the stands or on the court at the end of the nationally televised Pacers-Pistons game -- began serving suspensions Saturday night when the league handed down indefinite bans until specific number of games could be decided upon.
The brawl was particularly violent, with Artest and Jackson bolting into the stands near center court and throwing punches at fans after debris was tossed at the players.
Later, fans who came onto the court were punched in the face by Artest and O'Neal.
Wallace began the fracas by delivering a hard, two-handed shove to Artest after Wallace was fouled on a drive to the basket with 45.9 seconds remaining. After the fight ended, the referees called off the remainder of the game. Pacers players were pelted with drinks, popcorn and other debris as they rushed to the locker room. The initial skirmish wasn't all that bad, with Artest retreating to the scorer's table and lying atop it after Wallace sent him reeling backward.
But when a fan tossed a cup at Artest, he stormed into the stands, throwing punches as he climbed over seats.
"He was on top of me, pummeling me," fan Mike Ryan of Clarkston said. "He asked me, 'Did you do it? I said, 'No, man. No!"'
Jackson joined Artest and threw punches at fans, who punched back. At one point, a chair was tossed into the fray.
Security personnel and ushers tried to break it up. Former Pistons player Rick Mahorn, who was seated courtside as a Detroit radio analyst, also stepped in.
Artest was benched for two games this month for asking Pacers coach Rick Carlisle for time off because of a busy schedule that included promoting a rap album.
Artest was suspended twice by the NBA last season, once for leaving the bench during a fracas at a Pacers-Celtics playoff game; the other for elbowing Portland's Derek Anderson. During the 2002-03 season, Artest was suspended five times by the NBA and once by the Pacers for a total of 12 games.
Artest also once grabbed a television camera and smashed it to the ground after a loss to the Knicks two years ago.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
It appears the Indiana Pacers will pay a heavy price for Friday's embarrassing melee.
Ron Artest has been suspended for the season, while teammates Stephen Jackson received a 30-game suspension, and Jermaine O'Neal, a 25-game suspension, ESPN.com's Marc Stein and Insider Chad Ford have learned.
"The penalties issued today deal only with one aspect of this incident -- that of player misconduct. The actions of the players involved wildly exceeded the professionalism and self control that should rarely be accepted from NBA players," commissioner David Stern said in a statement Sunday.
The Detroit Pistons will be without Ben Wallace for six games.
Indiana's Anthony Johnson also received a five-game suspension.
Eldon Campbell, Chauncey Billups and Derrick Coleman, as the Pacers' Reggie Miller each received 1-game suspensions and $35,000 fines for leaving the bench following the initial altercation between Wallace and Artest.
"We must ... not allow our sport to be debased by what seems to be declining expectations for behavior by fans and athletes alike," Stern said in the statement.
Artest, O'Neal and Jackson -- who all threw punches at spectators in the stands or on the court at the end of the nationally televised Pacers-Pistons game -- began serving suspensions Saturday night when the league handed down indefinite bans until specific number of games could be decided upon.
The brawl was particularly violent, with Artest and Jackson bolting into the stands near center court and throwing punches at fans after debris was tossed at the players.
Later, fans who came onto the court were punched in the face by Artest and O'Neal.
Wallace began the fracas by delivering a hard, two-handed shove to Artest after Wallace was fouled on a drive to the basket with 45.9 seconds remaining. After the fight ended, the referees called off the remainder of the game. Pacers players were pelted with drinks, popcorn and other debris as they rushed to the locker room. The initial skirmish wasn't all that bad, with Artest retreating to the scorer's table and lying atop it after Wallace sent him reeling backward.
But when a fan tossed a cup at Artest, he stormed into the stands, throwing punches as he climbed over seats.
"He was on top of me, pummeling me," fan Mike Ryan of Clarkston said. "He asked me, 'Did you do it? I said, 'No, man. No!"'
Jackson joined Artest and threw punches at fans, who punched back. At one point, a chair was tossed into the fray.
Security personnel and ushers tried to break it up. Former Pistons player Rick Mahorn, who was seated courtside as a Detroit radio analyst, also stepped in.
Artest was benched for two games this month for asking Pacers coach Rick Carlisle for time off because of a busy schedule that included promoting a rap album.
Artest was suspended twice by the NBA last season, once for leaving the bench during a fracas at a Pacers-Celtics playoff game; the other for elbowing Portland's Derek Anderson. During the 2002-03 season, Artest was suspended five times by the NBA and once by the Pacers for a total of 12 games.
Artest also once grabbed a television camera and smashed it to the ground after a loss to the Knicks two years ago.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Where in the hell did I say he jumped into the crowd? I said Wallace started that shit, which then escalated into the melee. THe foul wasn't THAT hard he ain't injured or holding anything as if there was pain. I didn't see a hard foul. Wallace's reaction was harsh I've never seen a player in NBA history push someone in the face like that. Ok after he did that he could of stopped I mean Artest wasn't storming back or anything he was gonna let that shit go from the appearances of it. But Wallace didn't he wanted to get more of Artest as if that push in the face wasn't enough in retaliation towards the foul, I didn't see the ref call a Flagrant. THEN, Wallace was restrained, Artest said fuck it I'm not gonna do this shit so he calms himself down by laying on the table, joking around putting a headphone on and what not. BUT STILL, it could of been over but WALLACE took off his headband and chucked it at Artest. Artest reacted but gained his control and laid back down. I mean WTF do you expect a player to do after being pushed in the face like that?You can only remain calm for so long, Wallace made huge deal out of that whole shit. You got your push in the face which was 10x harsher than the foul Artest committed. Give me a fuckin break, if Wallace stopped after that push shit would of been over but Wallace kept at it, kept the fans hyped out which caused the melee and that's my opinion.
Let's see the stupidity of the suspensions:
Pistons: Wallace, started the violence and chucked a headband at the opposing player who is not retaliating which then is the possible cause for one of the fans to chuck something at Artest, only get's 6 games. R. Wallace, who also pushed some pacer players and also jumped into the crowd trying to do some damage but doesn't get's NO SUSPENSIONS.
Pacers: Opposing WINNING team who's not at home gets 3 of their best players suspended for 25 or more games. The Piston fans benefit from the suspensions eventhough they were a huge part of the Melee. Unfuckinbelievable.
Stern's an idiot, he makes the OPPOSING team pay far worse than the fans of Detriot, stupid.
Pistons: Wallace, started the violence and chucked a headband at the opposing player who is not retaliating which then is the possible cause for one of the fans to chuck something at Artest, only get's 6 games. R. Wallace, who also pushed some pacer players and also jumped into the crowd trying to do some damage but doesn't get's NO SUSPENSIONS.
Pacers: Opposing WINNING team who's not at home gets 3 of their best players suspended for 25 or more games. The Piston fans benefit from the suspensions eventhough they were a huge part of the Melee. Unfuckinbelievable.
Stern's an idiot, he makes the OPPOSING team pay far worse than the fans of Detriot, stupid.
Artest fouled Wallace from behind HARD with 40 secs left up by 15. WTF is that? You are trying to pin this shit all on Detroit. WHO THE FUCK CHARGED IN THE STANDS? Thats why Artest was suspended. And oh BTW Rasheed Wallace DIDNT PUSH ANYONE nor did he attack anyone in the stands. He was trying to stop Idiot pacers from attacking innocent people.